Author: Jorge
Illustrator:
Jorge
Publisher:
Pers
Released:
July 11, 2023
Format:
Kindle, Paperback
ISBN:
978-1932179019
Reviewer:
Ellwyn Autumn
Rating: 4 Lemon
Drops
Music and friendship bring two special characters together in harmony!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
Review:
Book Summary:
One day, two friends named Pookie and Tushka find a little blue piano in the frozen waters of the magic Icelands.
Despite feeling anxious about rescuing the piano,
Tushka watches as Pookie jumps in and pushes it to shore.
After a little teamwork, the pair haul the piano into their House of Ice.
Pookie is enthusiastic about playing the piano to create cheerful music instead of sad.
After playing the piano, the little penguin comes to the realization that he can only write melancholic songs no matter how hard he tries.
Tushka tries his hand at the piano too but ultimately realizes he is more talented with the drums.
Pookie encourages Tushka to join him on the piano once he gets the hang of the drum.
As the two play, Pookie realizes for the first time that he’s
playing cheerful music because he isn’t playing alone.
Opinion:
The delightful story of Pookie and Tushka Find a Little Piano shows how friendship can balance two very different personalities.
Pookie is the level-headed,
fearless, and empathetic type, while Tushka is constantly anxious and preparing
for the worst-case scenario.
Tushka overcomes his fears and enjoys the moment with Pookie's support.
Mutual trust is the foundation of a healthy friendship, as demonstrated in the story. Tushka has complete trust in Pookie because he has shown himself to be trustworthy.
The watercolor backgrounds created by Jorge are a visual treat. He painted the background using a combination of blue and purple hues.
Pastel shades provide
the perfect amount of storybook charm to attract children. Pookie and Tushka's
bolder colors offer another level of contrast that's effortlessly visible to
readers.
The book has a great educational feature that provides factual information about the Arctic, Antarctic, Polar Bears, and Penguins.
In my role as a teacher, I
discovered this to be very beneficial for facilitating future discussions about
animal habitats, especially regarding the incompatibility of penguins and polar
bears in the same area.
It's time to shift our focus to the extra features in the book for the 20th Anniversary edition.
The extra pages are brimming with reader reviews, sketches
of Pookie and Tushka, and new characters in the series.
Additionally, Jorge included pages that were omitted from the published edition of Pookie and Tushka Find A Little Piano.
Additionally, there's a preview of the prequel that
highlights how the two polar friends came together.
I found the synopsis to be a little confusing. It sounds less like a summary and more like an advertisement.
I think a succinct blurb followed by a quick teaser
would be more effective.
In
summary, Pookie and Tushka Find A Piano is a feel-good tale that conveys a
positive message about friendship and helping those we cherish.
I gave it 4 Lemon Drops!
Classroom Connection:
Teachers have the option to include Pookie and Tushka Find A Piano in a few educational themes, specifically Friendship, Polar Bears & Penguins, Arctic Animals, or Emotions.A lot of kids will understand Tushka's nervousness about trying things
that seem scary.
Age
Range: Pre-K to 3rd Grade
Targeted
Vocabulary: confused, excitement, flippers, precious, encased, worried,
spacious, timidly, pleasant
Resources:
About The Author and Illustrator:
Jorge (or Jorge Antonio Tello Aliaga for short) is a
writer and illustrator born and raised in Lima, Perú.
His years of experience include designing award-winning educational children’s software and being a design manager at the world’s largest graphic software company.
He enjoys writing, drawing, composing, programming, cooking (Peruvian food), and speaking English (with a cool accent!).
Even as a youngster, Jorge dreamed of publishing children’s books.
His other dreams include designing toys, creating a sci-fi/fantasy magazine, making cartoons, producing movies, building a theme park, becoming president of Perú, and achieving world peace (if time permits) ;)
His name is Spanish for George, and it is pronounced “HOR-heh”.
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